


Reacher vs Settler

by Crizz



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 16:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3617097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crizz/pseuds/Crizz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yunho found out about 'Reacher vs Settler' relationship theory and freaks out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reacher vs Settler

**Author's Note:**

> \- Based on 'How I Met Your Mother' relationship theory/rule.

 

 

> **Reacher vs Settler** **Theory** : 
> 
> _The theory that there is both in every relationship, where the "Reacher" is dating someone out of their league and the "Settler" is settling for someone below their league._  
> 

  
He didn't mean to eavesdropped.. but when people are talking right above your head while they’re doing your hair and make-up, what else could you do but listening in to their conversation? It’s not as if he could simply walk out of the room – not unless he wants the stylist to set fire to his hair.. Though he probably should let them know that he was not asleep like they thought he was. 

 

However, he has to admit that he loves listening to their stories: their naughty kids, lazy husbands, about that gorgeous new butcher that is total charmer, that horrible neighbor, economics, ever-increasing price of basic necessities..  
He  _loves_ it all: the stories, gossips.. they made him feel normal.. closer somehow to being just another guy next door instead of a celebrity.

 

Today, weirdly enough the topic was on him and Changmin. Maybe because both the stylist and make-up artist are new and young, they still haven’t grasped the concept of being discreet with their fangirling.

 

“Omo.. look at his eyelashes! All curled up and I didn’t even need to use the curler..”

 

“And look at that cutest little mole! Yunho-oppa so pretty I want to cry..”

 

Yunho had to stop himself from smiling at that and keep his eyes closed. There’s  _nothing_ wrong in indulging his ego a bit, is there? :D

 

“Unnie~.. do you think the rumor is true?”

 

“Eh? Which rumor?”

 

“You know.. that Yunho-oppa and Changmin-oppa are.. er.. you know~..”

 

“Know what?”

 

“That they’re a couple! Kyaa! I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it”

 

Yeah while that girl is gleefully rubbing her arms, grinning at the thought of two such delicious men getting it on together, Yunho nearly has a coronary attack there and then.  
‘ _Shit! Has we been found out? Minnie’s gonna kill me_ ’ :(

 

“Aish.. you stupid girl.. Of course, that’s not true. No matter how much we wish it so, it’s simply too good to be true..”

 

Yunho silently breathed a sigh of relief… and keep on listening.

 

“I guess you are right, Unnie.. A pity though.. They are gorgeous together.. I wonder which one is the reacher and which is the settler..”

 

“Huh? What’s that?”

 

 _‘Yeah, what’s that?’_  Yunho thought curiously.

 

“Oh, haven’t you heard the reacher/settler theory? There’s one in every relationship. Basically it means..”

  
“Ah, there you guys are! Could one of you wake Yunho up? Rehearsal in 10..”

  
Yunho nearly groaned out loud at the stage manager interruption but unable to do anything except smiled wryly when one of the girls shook his shoulder lightly to ‘wake’ him.  
  
  
****

********************************************************

  
He forgot all about the matter until few weeks later during which he went out for a dinner with Boa sunbaenim.

 

“So~ how’s the hubby?”  
She asked her hoobae teasingly.

 

“Eh? Hubby?”  
Yunho asked in confusion.

 

“Aww.. c’mon! I meant your hunky boyfriend, Changmin! I think I saw him at the gym two months ago and boy~ now I know why you were bedridden for a week when you guys first got together. That man is  **packed**! I mean, his arms are to die for but that loose shorts he was wearing makes no different coz I could still see his humongous c..”

 

“Okay! Okay! I  _got_ the picture, alright~..”  
Face flushed engine red, Yunho stopped his sunbaenim before she could continue her gushing over his boyfriend’s..er.. package.

 

“Omo Yun-ah~.. You should be proud bb for catching that fine piece of ass.. You guys are like  **THE** IT  _‘are-they-arent-they-God-I-Hope-They-Are’_  couple nowadays! Do you have any idea how famous you guys are especially in Japan.. No, I’m not talking bout your music though you guys are kickin’ asses with them too. I meant your relationship.. Seriously you should read some of the stories and mangas fans write and drew bout you.. It’s like those girls studied porn for their living! So  **HOT** I even had to take cold shower after reading one of them..”

 

Yunho blinked, he knew some fans like imagining he and Changmin together but~.. He didn’t know there are even mangas dedicated to them!

 

“Nonetheless sunbaenim, Chami isn’t my husband.. We’re just .. you know.. boyfriends..”

His voice tapered off towards the end, blushing madly.

 

“Aww~ how cute! Yunho-ya~.. You’re like the luckiest person, jinjja! For having Shim Changmin settled for you. I take it you’re the one that confessed first?”  
Boa asked with sparkles in her eyes.

 

Yunho frowned at the question,  
“What do you mean Changmin settled for me? And how did you guess I confessed first?”

 

“Yun-baby~.. you’re the  _reacher_. And Reacher always confessed first.. Changmin is a settler, and they are the one that always will be confessed to”  
Boa said nonchalantly as if this is something that Yunho should well aware by now.

 

And Yunho remembered the conversation between his two stylist couple of weeks before,  
“Sunbaenim.. what does that mean? Reacher and settler??”

 

Boa laughed,  
“Why baby, don’t tell me you don’t know? I’m talking about The Couple Theory of course:  _Reacher vs Settler_.. You’re the Reacher which means…”

 

She stopped and looked at Yunho’s eager face calculatingly.

“You know what.. Just forget it.. It’s nothing and stupid.”

 

“Eh??!! Whyy~~~!! Just tell me, sunbaenim!”  
Yunho whined.

  
But Boa just shook her head,

“Nope. Seriously Yundollie.. Don’t worry your pretty little head on useless stuffs~”

She smiled and patted his hand consolingly.

(‘ _Plus, Changmin would kill me if I make you worry_ ’ she thought)

 

Yunho pouted and tried begging but his sunbae refused to discuss more on the subject – preferring instead telling Yunho many funny incidents that happened during her Asia tour.  
  
  
****

****************************************************************  


The glossy black square device sat innocently on the desk.

 

Yunho threw a couple of glance at it from his place on the sofa in front of the television until he can’t take it anymore and bounced over to the laptop – Running Man be damned! This is more important~

 

He hesitated before switching it on as it is his lover’s laptop and Changmin had specifically forbade Yunho from touching his laptop  **EVER** and to never go online without his lover’s supervision

( _“I’m the hyung, Min! You can’t order me around~!”_ Yunho pouted.  _“_

 _I’m not ordering you, baby~ I’m just telling you not to do it..”_  Changmin kissed his lover’s cheek affectionately. _“_

 _O.O.. owh.. okay then..”_  Yunho said – smiling brightly)

 

‘ _Oh well, Minnie’s not here anyway.. He’ll never know.. hehe_ ’

Yunho thought gleefully and powered up the laptop.

 

Thankfully the password is pretty easy to guess ( **ihateyunjae642** ) as Yunho had seen his lover typed it in couple of times before.

 

He typed in ‘ _Reacher and Settler_ ’ in Google and click the first link on the search page. 

 

> “ _ **Reacher vs Settler Theory:**_
> 
> _There’s always a part of a person in a relationship who settles for someone below their level as there is a part who tries to reach his/her partner.  
>    
>  **Reacher** – The reacher is someone who ‘reach’ above their league. The settler is the best that a reacher ever going to get._
> 
> _**Settler** – The settler settles for someone below their league. A settler is seldom jealous as where else the reacher gonna go?_”

 

The second he read all that, Yunho knows without a doubt that Boa was right. He is the reacher..

 

Problem is, Changmin isn’t the kind of person that settles for anything (or anyone) before. Only the best fits him: from clothes to friends to gadgets to staffs.. And while Yunho never really thinks about it before this, he always thought he is the best choice for Changmin.. After all, Changmin chose him, right??

 

……. Except that  _he_ was the one that pursued the younger man first.

 

He remembers how once he decided he’s really in love with the younger man, he kept inserting himself in every single aspect of Changmin’s life. No matter where the maknae was, there’ll surely be Yunho alongside with him. All that went through his mind was how much he wants to get to know more and more about Shim Changmin – the same boy who before this he always thought as his own baby brother or when he got overly caught up with fans’s imagination, his own love child with Jae-hyung. Only as they grew up and he noticed how mature and simply amazing Changmin is (not to mention those  **droolworthy** muscles) that he started to think that maybe this affection he has for his younger friend wasn’t just platonic any longer.

 

And as his nature of going after what (or in this case  _WHO_ ) he wants, Yunho cheerfully decided he will make sure Changmin realizes that it’s Yunho he desires – and by that he meant: he will continue to stalk Changmin wherever he goes and spend every single minute with the younger man until Changmin will either kill him or kiss him.  
(To name a couple: Kyuline hangout where the other members could just blinked at this new ‘ _member_ ’ who keeps plastering by Changmin-sama’s side, Changmin family meeting where all his family members just can’t help but fell in love with the impossibly adorable young man besotted with their son, shamelessly curling up on Changmin’s bed when the youngster is staying up all night to study)

 

Yunho should  _rea~lly_  thank his lucky star that he’s too cute for the maknae to strangle =.=;;.

 

And apparently it all paid off as one day in the middle of Yunho’s babbling on why they belong together (complete with banner and presentation -.-), Changmin just grabbed him and plant a deep deep  **DEEP** kiss on the older man before dragging the dazed man towards one of the bedrooms.  
And that’s that.

 

They’ve been blissfully happy ever since.

 

At least Yunho know  _he_ is..

 

Being the affectionate person he is, he never see the point of holding back on his adoration of his  **MEGA GORGEOUS** boyfriend :D. Even in public or on stage, he will happily glomp or rubbed against his lover whenever he feels like getting the younger man’s attention. And if Changmin sometimes doesn’t reciprocate his acts of affection, it doesn’t bother him a bit coz he knows how shy the younger man is.

 

It doesn’t matter because he knows Changmin loves him as much as he possibly could.

 

….. But _does_ he?

 

Maybe Changmin just  _settled_ for Yunho just because it’s hard to find a suitable someone in their line of work that will understand their workload and long working hours.. not to mention the constant travelling.

 

The moment he thought about that, Yunho feels like throwing up.

 ‘ _Calm down Yunho.. You know Changmin is a better person than that.. Plus he’s not the type to settle for anything less than the best, right?_ ’

 

Nonetheless, Changmin  **DEFINITELY** the ‘ _settler_ ’ in this relationship and Yunho is the pathetic ‘ _reacher_ ’.

 

He stares at the laptop screen blankly..

_Ottoke?_

 

Wait! Maybe Changmin doesn’t know that he’s settling for Yunho? Maybe.. he doesn’t realize about the Couple Theory?? It’s possible as Yunho himself only heard about it and Changmin doesn’t really interact with their staffs without Yunho around.. If that’s the case then he could fix this! All he has to do is make sure his lover won’t find out about the theory and would never have any reason to leave him for another better more suitable partner.

 

With that in mind, Yunho cheers up.

 

He just has to be the most perfect boyfriend and everything would be alright.

He’s sure of it.

 

Time to do another research~

 

 **********************************************  


Changmin looked across the table at his boyfriend.

 

Something is weird here..

 

Usually the older man would be babbling mile a minute about anything and everything under the sun regardless Changmin is paying attention to him or not. But today there is only silence all around. In fact, Yunho barely looks at him.. choosing instead to concentrate on his food with all the concentration a bomb squad leader giving to a ticking time bomb. Changmin tries to remember if there was anything he did that could make Yunho sulking or annoyed at him. His lover is a patient and cheerful man but God knows sometimes even the littlest thing could make him whine and pout.. In which case usually all it takes is just a kiss and a cuddle and everything would be A-okay again.

 

Changmin has a feeling that this time it won’t be as easy.

 

Yunho doesn’t seems angry.. he’s just… quiet.

 And Jung Yunho is  **NEVER** quiet.

 

Not even when he’s sleeping – where he would every so often makes this soft adorable snuffling sound while trying to cuddle closer to Changmin.

 

“So..”

Changmin started and paused when he saw his lover jumped slightly in surprise.

“How’s your food, alright?”

 

Yunho looked down at his steak and shrugged,

“It was okay.”

 

Changmin waited for few seconds before he realized that that is all Yunho going to tell him. He tried again,

“Coz you know.. If you don’t like it, we can always go someplace else..”

 

“No, it’s fine.. You.. you like here, right?”

Yunho asked back tentatively.

 

The younger man nodded.

“Yes. They have the best grilled lamb around.”

  
Yunho smiled,

“That’s good to know..”

 

And then silence again.

 

However Changmin could see how restless Yunho is. His lover keeps opening his mouth as if to speak and then closes it again without saying anything.

“Hyung, tell me how your day has been today.. You went bowling with Junjin-hyung, right?”

 

Yunho brightened up,

“Oh yes! It was so much fun.. Something funny happened; oh guess what?!. Junjin-hyung split his pants!! Ahahaa… and you know..”

 

Changmin smiled inwardly as he listens to his lover cheerfully chattering as usual.

He never admits it but for all his complaints, he actually loves when Yunho babbles bout God knows what whenever he feels like it.

 

It feels soothing and…  _homey_.

 

*********************************

  
‘ _Idiot.. idiot.. idio.. ouch!_ ’

 

Yunho looked up from the wall where he’d been butting his against for the past three minutes. He peered into the mirror next to him.  


“You, Jung Yunho is an idiot!”

He pointed to his reflection.

 

“Didn’t we agree  **NOT** to talk so much when Changmin is around? He hates that you talks a lot! Heck, he even said it out right on camera! And what did you do?? Babble your heart out the first chance you got.. Just because he asked a simple question. And you were doing so well earlier on too… God knows you look like an idiot rambling nonsense all the time.”

 

Yunho blew a depressed sigh and leaned against the wall again and let the cool tiles sooth his aching head.

Guess he just has to try harder next time.

 

*********************************************

 

> **How To Be The Perfect Gay Boyfriend**  
> 
> 
> 1)  **MANLY** and  **MATURED** :  _Always dressed smartly and a real man’s man. Certainly not a crybaby and/or be so girly (e.g: play with dolls). Bad ass and not scared of anything._  
> 

 

Changmin blinked,

“Why are you wearing a suit?”

  
Yunho stopped fiddling with his bow tie,

“Umm, coz we’re going out?”

 

“Yeah~.. for  _lunch_. On  **Sunday**. Nobody wears a full-on suit to lunch.. let alone, on weekend~”

 

Yunho started to pout (as he normally would when Changmin denied him something) but thought better of it and try to school his face to look more serious,

“But I look good, right?”

 

Changmin doesn’t say anything and just point to their bedroom indicating that he wants Yunho to change his clothes.

 

Yunho barely stopped himself from blowing a raspberry at his lover and walk away with all the dignity he could muster towards the bedroom and emerged 10 minutes later.

 

Changmin stared at the black shirt and grey blazer..

“Yunho, it must be nearly 70 degrees out there. You’ll get heat stroke if you go out wearing those.”

 

Yunho put on his most stubborn look,

“Don’t worry about me. I’m a man and this is nothing for me.”

 

Changmin shook his head and just let the stubborn older man do whatever he wants.

 

And true enough as Changmin said, the weather is insanely hot and within few minutes outside their car, Yunho looks like he’d been bathing in his clothes. And before long, he started to feel dizzy because of the heat. But still no way in hell he’s going to tell Changmin.

Nope, no sirree.. he’s Jung Yunho. The manliest of man and he definitely woul…

 

The next thing he knows, he is lying down with someone slapping his face lightly.

 

“Hyung, you better wake up..”

 

“Oh my god.. Is he alright?”

 

“Yes.. I think it was just the heat.. please give us some space..”

 

“Young man, here’s some water for your friend”

 

“Why is he wearing that kind of thick clothes in summer anyway??”

 

Yunho slowly opened his eyes to see his lover’s worried face directly above him. A group of curious passerby was standing behind Changmin, whispering and pointing at both of them.

 

“Hey Min-ah..”

He rasped – trying to offer a shaky smile for his lover.

 

“You  _idiot_! I told you to wear something lighter, didn’t I?”

Changmin snapped at him though one of his hands is holding Yunho’s cheek gently.

 

“Young man, I don’t think it’s wise to get angry at your ill friend here..”

The old man who handed Changmin a bottle of cold water admonished the younger man.

 

Changmin didn’t say anything, just picked up his lover in a bridal style carry with hardly a huff (apparently the maknae _HAS_ been working out~) and brought him to their car –

which thankfully parked quite near the fancy restaurant.

 

“Fans gonna have a field day after this..”

Yunho muttered – hiding his face against Changmin’s chest when he saw few of teenagers (and even some older women and men) have their camera phones trained on both of the celebrities.

 

“Yeah well, whose fault it was then?”

Changmin asked grumpily, though his hands tightened a fraction around Yunho as he (carefully) deposited Yunho onto the seat and opened few buttons of his shirt to make him more comfortable. He just shook his head at the still flushed face of the older man and stepped back to close the door

 

“I’m sorry..”

Yunho whispered miserably.

 

************************************************

 

Changmin is going  _crazy_!

 

There’s something wrong with Yunho and he just can’t figure out what.

 

No, it’s not that Yunho is becoming distant or any less loving.. It’s just.. he is  _different_ somehow.

He seems more timid and quiet and weird..

 

He is his normal jovial self when they are on shows or stage but when they’re alone or with other friends, Yunho would just step back and fiddles with his phone or glass or anything that he can get his hands on. He answers only when someone asks direct question to him and he never tells Changmin about his days anymore.

 

He doesn’t even complaint when Kyuhyun and the rest keep demanding that Changmin to join them whenever they hang out. This is complete opposite like before where Yunho would whine and pout in order for the younger man choose to stay at home with him instead where he knows Changmin would shower all his attention onto Yunho.  
Not that he minds of course as as much he likes Kyuhyun and Minho and their other friends, he is really not the very social type and actually prefer to have quiet evening, cuddling with a warm (often sleepy) body next to him rather than go out to party. Once in a while is fine though. Which is why he’s glad he could use Yunho as his excuse not to go out all the time.

 

But now not only Yunho doesn’t complaint.. He even  _encourages_ it.

 

Once he received a text from Kyuhyun telling him that the Kyu Liner going clubbing that night and asking Changmin to join them. He had sarcastically told Yunho that while other men is enjoying their single life, Changmin feels like an old man already tied down and could no longer go to noisy club full of hopeless horny people who put themselves on display – _desperate_ for any lucky hook-ups.

 

Yunho didn’t say anything, just smile wanly at him for a while and goes back to concentrating on his laptop (seriously, he’s been obsessing with that thing lately). That evening Kyuhyun and Minho dropped by suddenly and literally dressed and dragged Changmin out with them. When he tried to protest,

 

Kyuhyun just pinch his cheek and said,

“Nu-uh Changmin-ah.. You’re not getting out of this one~ You can’t even use Yunho-hyung as an excuse coz hyung _himself_ called us and said we should come and get you..

Whassamatter Minnie? You’re too shy to tell us that you missed us, izzit? Gotta made your hyung do it for you?? Aww.. too cute, Min-ah~!”

 

Changmin blinked in confusion but by that time Kyuhyun and an amused Minho had already ushered him out the door with a cheerful wave to Yunho who just smiled at the trio when they passed him at the hallway. Changmin turned to look at his lover but Yunho had just closed the door behind them and somewhere deep inside Changmin felt a twinge of hurt.

 

Yes, he did have fun that night.

He misses his friends – what with the crazy schedule TVXQ is having.

 

Yes, he enjoyed himself: letting go for a night and while not being fully drunk, at least have pleasant buzz in his head and warmth in his belly.

 

And yes, he did want kick himself on the backside when he came home next morning (crashed over at the Shinee’s dorm) and remembered that it was their  _anniversary_ yesterday. He fully expects wrath or at the very least sulking for the next two weeks from Yunho for it.. But what he got instead was normal sunshiny smile asking if he enjoyed himself the night before.

 

Changmin figured that Yunho had forgotten as well and just shrugged it off.. They are after all, both guys and really, do **NOT** need to celebrate every single anniversary.

 

Of course, if he knows that Yunho had cancelled his reservation at the fanciest restaurant in town (where the reservation list is two years long) - he had booked the whole place for them both to have much needed privacy and could display their affection as freely as possible, Changmin would truly feels like a jerk.

 

At first Changmin thought maybe Yunho is angry at him or maybe his mind is preoccupied by something else. But then Yunho have been more attentive than ever and every so often keeps on asking Changmin if he needs anything or whether is he happy. And when Changmin said he’s happy whenever Yunho’s happy, the most beautiful smile graced that small face. So yes, Changmin is pretty sure Yunho is not leaving him.

 

But still, he knows something is troubling his lover and by hook or by crook he’s determines to get to the bottom of it.

 

***************************************************

 

Yunho is  **depressed**.

Depressed and desperate.

 

He tries to do everything to be the most perfect lover so Changmin wouldn’t know how lacking he is and how there are so many other people better suited his lover than him.

 

He did  _research_!

 

He scoured through all the internet (fans theories and observations are amazing~!) and shows and god-knows how many articles, observes the younger man himself and even (discreetly) interviewing Changmin’s parents and friends on what Changmin likes and dislikes. Sure, he knows the obvious things but Yunho also knows that any extra edge will be an advantage.

 

But the more Yunho tries, the more Changmin is  _upset_ with him.

 

Yunho isn’t stupid (no matter how oblivious people said he is).. And he is aware of those little frowns his lover keeps throwing him lately. He doesn’t show it but each time, his heart breaks just a little bit more.. He really tries his best here and he doesn’t know what went wrong..

Doesn’t know how else to fix himself..

 

.. how else to make himself be  _enough_.

 

_******************************************** _

 

“Yunho-oppa?”

 

Yunho looked up to see Seohyun looking down at him with a concern look on her sweet face.

 

“Are you okay, oppa? You look sad..”

 

Yunho smiled,

“I’m fine.. Just a bit tired. What can I do for you, hoobae-ah?”

 

Seohyun looks at him in contemplation for a minute before a shy smile broke through and she cautiously took the seat in front of Yunho – rearranging her glittery outfit, carefully selected by the cordi to best emphasize her long shapely legs and gentle curves. All of the SME artists are in waiting to have the press conference to promote the much-hyped ‘ **I Am** ’ movie and before Yunho was just having a quiet moment to himself in one of the empty dressing room before the SNSD maknae found him.

 

“Uhm oppa.. I.. I need your help.. Of course, I totally understand it if you refuse.. I mean.. It’s entirely up to you. I mean I value your opinion but don’t feel pressured or anything.. or guilty or.. uhm.. I mean, not that you have anything to feel guilty about.. I just don’t want you feel obligated or..”

 

Yunho laughed at the flustered girl babbling,

“Seohyun-ah.. calm down.. Why don’t you just tell me what’s bothering you and we’ll see what I can do to help you best, alright?”

 

Flushed, Seohyun nodded and took a deep breath – steadying herself,

“It’s about Changmin-oppa.”

She blurted out.

 

Yunho frowned slightly,

“What about Changmin?”

 

… and may~be he  _shouldn’t_ sound so harsh in asking that..

 

“Eh?”

Seohyun looks taken back by Yunho’s unusual hard tone.

 

Yunho cleared his face with an effort and waved a hand around,

“I meant, has Changmin done something? Teased you or be mean to you or anything?”

He covered-up weakly – as everyone knows for fact that Changmin adores Seohyun and would never be as sharp or sarcastic to her as he would do to other girls (or men).

 

“Oh. Oh no.. Changmin-oppa has been super nice to me as usual.. It’s just that..”

The girl trailed off, a delicate blush crept into her cheeks and even before she could utter her next sentence, Yunho could already feels dread in his stomach.

“I.. I really like Changmin-oppa.. And.. and I was wondering if you could help me..”

 

Yunho stares at the girl.

 

His first instinct (he was ashamed to admit) was to yell at her and tell her to get away from his boyfriend but then:  


 

‘ _Changmin and Seohyun makes such a cute couple!!_ ’

 

‘ _Kyaaa!! My wish is granted! See that? Changmin really went beside Seo and held her hand!_ ’

 

‘ _Seohyun feeds Changmin, how adorable is that?!_ ’

 

‘ _I think Changmin really likes Seohyun.. I bet they’re dating in secret..kekeke_ ’  
  
  
\

….. All the fans accounts played through his head.

 

And with sudden clarity Yunho finally  _gets_ it.

 

He would  **never** be enough.

 

He can never reach Changmin and Changmin is too precious to just settle with one beneath him.

And it doesn’t matter how much he pushed or pretends or change..

 

Their relationship has already run its course.. It  _shouldn’t_ even have started in the first place.

Not if Yunho wasn’t too stupid and arrogant to use his head and not his heart as usual.

 

“Oppa? What’s the matter? You’re pale all of a sudden.. Should I get Changmin-oppa for you?”

 

At Seohyun’s concerned voice, Yunho forced a strained smile at the girl.

“No.. no.. I just remembered something I should’ve done, that’s all..”

 

“Oh.. do you want me to leave you alone so you could go and do whatever it is you need to do?”

Seohyun asked in disappointment.

 

“No, it’s okay.. It can wait.. Uhm.. What was it about Changmin? You wish my help to confess to him, is it?”

 

Seohyun giggles,

“Well.. yes~.. But.. uhm.. I’m worried.. Do you think Changmin-oppa likes me back? I mean Yoona-unnie and Taeyeon-unnie said he treats me so sweetly and differently from other girls so I might have a chance.. But I don’t want to presume anyth..”

 

Yunho cut her off, his heart still in shock and as much as he knows he has to let go, he really doesn’t need to hear all about how sweetly or nice Changmin treats Seohyun..

“Don’t worry Seohyun.. I’m pretty sure it’ll be fine. You’re…”

He cleared the lump that’s in his throat,

“You’re  _perfect_ for him.. And I’m sure he agrees with me.”

 

“Ah, Jinjja? Oh thank you so much Yunho-oppa.. I know how much you means to Changmin-oppa. I’m happy to have your blessing..”

 

And it took all Yunho has to keep on smiling and nodding like an idiot as Seohyun happily describes to him how she plans to get closer to Changmin and finally confess to him.

 

******************************************************

 

“Baby, I’m home..”

Changmin muttered. 

Few steps into the apartment, he stopped sniffing the air. A delicious smell wafted throughout the place.

 

Raising his eyebrows, Changmin went to the kitchen – expecting to surprise Yunho (who he bet is wearing that yellow smiley face apron that he had bought as a joke, seeing how both of them hardly know how to cook aside from pasta and ramen).

But he was the one who is surprised when the sight of a woman kneeling and peering into the oven greeted him. When she turned around, Changmin was startled to see it was the SNSD maknae.

 

“Omo! You  _surprised_ me, Changmin-oppa!”

She looked at the huge bouquet of roses in Changmin’s hands and smiled widely,

“Ah.. I can see that Yunho-oppa told you.. Aish, I thought I told him I want to be surprise~.. These are lovely! Thank you Oppa!”

 

Changmin could only looked on dumbfounded as the girl happily took the bouquet from his hand (which he bought for Yunho!) and happily continue chattering.

  
“Dinner would be ready in about 10 minutes.. Would Oppa like to change first? Yunho-oppa told me that your love spaghetti marinara so that’s what I’ve been making.. Uhm~ this is my first time so.. I hope you’ll like it..”

 

Changmin shook his head – wondering if this is all some  _bizarre_ dream that he’s having. Maybe he actually fell asleep in the car on the way home?  
A few pinches to his thigh later confirmed that this is real and Changmin still has no idea what’s going on.

 

“Seohyun.. listen.. What.. I mean where’s Yun.. No, I mean, why are you here?  _HOW_ are you here?”

He asked tensely.

 

“I.. Wha.. I thought..Yunho-oppa told..you? I mean.. these are..”

Seohyun stammered and look at the roses in her hands. She blinks for few times and looked up again, understanding dawned in her widened eyes,

“You have no idea, do you? That I would be here tonight.. SO that means that these wasn’t meant for me..”

 

Changmin didn’t have anything to say to that. He’s still confused himself.

 

Seohyun bit his lips and stepped forward to grabbed his arm,

“Oppa, I think you better go and find Yunho-oppa right away..  _Talk_ to him..”

 

“I..”

 

“Oppa! There’s something wrong between you and Yunho-oppa, right? I really think you need to straightened things up first.. He’s so sad.. Yunho-oppa was smiling but I can see he’s so sad.. So you need to make things better because he’s that  **important** to you.. just as you are to him..”

 

“I don’t even know where he is..”

 

Seohyun offered a watery smile,

“Don’t  _you_? I think you do.. If it’s Yunho-oppa, Changmin-oppa definitely could find him. You know him  **best** , right?”

 

Changmin looked down before an idea struck him and looking up again, he smiled widely,

“Know what, I think you’re right. I think I know where he went.. Thank you Seohyun-ah..”

 

He ran towards the door and just before he goes out he turned to look back at her,

“Hyun-ah, I still have no idea why you’re here in our apartment but.. Thank you.. Uhm.. We’ll talk later, alright?”

 

With that, he rushed out – leaving Seohyun watching wistfully at the closed door.

 

“ _We would.. but.. not for a while. A girl deserves to have some time to get over her first crush, right? Especially when she had lost without even started fighting yet.._ ”

 

******************************************************

 

“I know you would be here..”

 

Yunho whirled around at the sound of the quiet calm voice that he loves so much.

“Wha.. Changmin? What are you  _doing_ here?”

 

Changmin shrugged and stepped closer to the seated figure on the white sandy beach.

“You’re here.. Where else  _would_ I be?”

 

Yunho didn’t answer and turned back to look into the horizon in front of him - the waves crashed against the shore angrily and rolling clouds above indicate that tomorrow might be another gloomy, rainy day. The cold night air seeped through his thin hoodie but Yunho could hardly feel it.

 

Changmin sighed and sat behind Yunho- both legs were on either sides, long arms wrapped around the slighter body. Ignoring the tense body, he pulled the other man closer so that Yunho’s back resting completely on Changmin’s chest and put his head on one of the shoulders. Taking both of the other’s hands into his, he rubbed them both together – trying to insert some warmth into the cold hands.

 

“Talk to me, sweetheart..”

Changmin whispered, leaning forward to rest his chin on Yunho’s shoulder.

 

“What about?”

Yunho asked quietly back.

 

“Anything..  _everything_.. What's happening to us.. what’s bothering you..”

Changmin hugged Yunho tighter

“ Who makes you sad, Yunnie?”

 

“I don’t think there should be an ‘ _us_ ’ anymore..”

Yunho whispered.

 

That had Changmin paused in his rubbing Yunho’s warm belly underneath the hoodie. Not for long though, he resumed the gentle rubbing/patting again after few seconds,

 

“What makes you said that? Are you unhappy with me?”

He keeps his voice low and soft as of not to spook his upset lover.

 

Yunho shook his head,

“No. I was happy..”

 

“Okay.. Then why do you think we should break up then?”

 

Yunho turned in his arms and looked up to Changmin,

“Because  _you’re_  not, Changmin-ah..”

He said unhappily.

 

“Baby.. Why would you say that? Have I ever given you any hint at all that I’m not happy with you?”

 

“No.. but you’re the settler and I’m the reacher and we both know that you never settles for anything before.. It’s always the best for you. And I just realized that I’m not it..”

 

Changmin sighed heavily and grabbed the upset man in front of him against his chest,

“Sorry.. what? What is this reacher and settler thing you’re talking about?”

 

“It’s like the relationship rule.. Everybody knows about it and I just heard about it and then I searched the meaning in the internet.. I’m so sorry.. If I’ve known longer I wouldn’t make you miserable this long..”

Yunho snuggled closer against his lover – he can’t help it.. Changmin’s chest is so  _snuggable_ ~..

 

Honestly Changmin has no idea what to say to that..

 

“Baby,  _this_ is why I didn’t want you to browse the net without me.. You got to stop believing everything you heard or read online..”

He kisses Yunho’s forehead to lessen the sting of his admonishment though.

  
“So you don’t care if you have to  **settle** with me? I tried, you know.. I tried be change everything you complaint about me before..”

“Yunho, I love you. Yes, I may complaint and be a grump about lots of things but that doesn’t mean I love you any  _less_.. You won’t be  _MY_ Yunho if you be any other than who you are..”

 

“Even when I babble a lot?”

 

“ _Especially_ when you talk a lot.. I love your voice. I love listening you talk about everything or anything that catches your fancy even when some of them didn’t make any sense at all.. I just love  _you_.”

 

And he pulls in the older man for a kiss – sucking that succulent pink bottom lip into his mouth.

 

“And I don’t want you to worry your pretty little head about anything like this ever again.. If you have any doubt with anything at all, you talk to  **me**.. Not go online and searched for it yourself, alright?”

 

“Okay.. Less talk, more kissies!”

Yunho mumbled against Changmin’s lips causing the other to chuckle and comply with his demand.

 

Afterward the reunited lover cuddles together on the beach, just enjoying the balmy early-morning breeze (actually it was freezing but Yunho insisted to watch the sunrise and Changmin is in the mood to indulge Yunho’s every wish).

 

“Baby..”

 

“Hmm?”

Yunho giggled slightly at the ticklish feeling of Changmin mouthing wet kisses on his nape.

 

“Why is Seohyun was in our house today?”

 

Yunho sat up – dislodging Changmin’s head from his shoulder. Much to the displeasure of the younger male,

“Oh, I forgot! I gave her permission to cook dinner for you both..”

 

“Eh, why?”

 

“Um.. Seohyun likes you and planned to confess to you”

 

“And you’re  _helping_ her?”

Changmin looked at his idiot lover incredulously.

 

Yunho widened his eyes innocently,

“I thought you’ll be happier with her~! You like her.. and all fans want you guys to be together.. and she’s pretty..”

 

“Okay, that’s it. You’re not allowed to have your **own** thoughts anymore after this.. Aish.. pabo~! Where in this world can you find someone  _idiot_ enough to help someone else confess to his own boyfriend?”

 

Yunho pout at being called idiot by the younger man.

“What.. I just want you to be happy…”

He whined

 

Changmin grabs his stubborn lover by the back of his neck and pressed their foreheads together,

“Baby, I would only be happy with you..  **No one else**. Got it?”

 

“Got it.”

Yunho whispered before Changmin tilts his head back and kissed him like he is the oasis and Changmin is a traveler in the Sahara desert.

 

“Yunho.. Who put it in your head about this ridiculous Reacher/Settle theory?”

 

“Andwae~.. I can’t tell you.. Boa-sunbaenim wouldn't let me..”

 

“…. So it was Boa-noona..”

 

_‘Oops~!’_

 

***************************************************

 

“Yeobeseyo~”

 

“Yeobeseyo.. Noona? It’s Changmin..”

 

“Ah.. Changmin-ah~! How are you? And how is my favourite Yundollie??”

 

“I’m fine, thank you.. and Yunho is currently happily drooling on me. I guess our.. activity earlier must’ve tire him out, so to speak..”

 

“Uh..”

The mental image of the two hot boys doing the naughty kinky things makes Boa’s face flushed.

 

“By the way noona, Yunho told me something interesting today..”

 

And God helps her.. Boa could’ve sworn that the temperature of the room she is in suddenly dropped a couple of degrees colder.

 

“Apparently you informed him about some useless couple theory? Is this true? I mean I can’t imagine for the life of me noona would do something like that, especially  _not_ when she knows full-well how much I hate it when someone causes Yunho to worries.”

 

“N..Now Changmin-ah..”

Cursed her for her trembling voice.. This boy is her junior God dammit~!

“I didn’t want to tell him.. He  _insisted_! Plus, I never actually said anything..”

 

“But you  _did_ mention it to him?”

 

“I.. I can’t remember.. I might’ve said _something_ in a passing joke.. But..”

 

“That’s okay noona..”

His voice turns sugary sweet and innocent and honestly, Boa is about to piss herself here.

“We cleared things up.. But I’m sure this kind of stuff  _won’t_ ever happen again, **correct**?”

 

“Of.. of course!”

 

“Good.. Because I hate to know what I might have to do if someone crosses me again.. Tell me, how is your Japanese boyfriend? Quite  **young** , wasn’t he?.. Say~ Can’t be more than 18 years old?”

 

“…..”

 

“Glad I have your attention, noona. Got to go.. Long day tomorrow. I’m taking Yunho to Everland.. I’ll tell him you said ‘ _Hi_ ’, alright~? Goodnight Noona~”

 

“G..Goodni..”

 

* _Click_ *

 

Boa stares at the phone in her hand.

God, that was one of the scariest experience in her life TT.TT..

 

Note to mental self:  _watch what you say to Yunho or Changmin’s gonna get you.._

 

 

 

**~ _finis_ ~**

 

-> I wanna cry~.. they're so perfect together.. 

 

 

 


End file.
